The current economic slowdown and associated problems have a lot of people worried. So what to do about it? Change is a part of life. The only thing we can do about it is to decide how we are going to think about it, how we are going to see it. Will we look at the dark side, the scary parts? Or will we look at the bright side, the opportunities that any change creates, that we can turn to our advantage...



High gasoline prices, the economy slowing down, mortgage crisis, foreclosures, layoffs... We all know that economies go in cycles. There are many signs pointing to an economic downturn.

Many will react by cutting back, 'rigging for storm' and trying to ride it out. Others will seize the opportunities that this new reality creates and will prosper!

High gas prices hurt. Economic uncertainty causes all of us to have sleepless nights at times. I know. I have had my share of those... But it is interesting to note that the way you write "crisis" in Chinese is to use two characters together. The characters used are the one for "danger" and the one for "opportunity"!

So where are the opportunities in the current economic situation? Well, consider:

1. High gas prices will increase the popularity of the Internet. You don't have to buy gas to shop on the Internet like you do when you go to the shopping mall. Employers will be looking for more "virtual assistants" and workers who can "tele-commute" over the Internet. Time to look into how to benefit from these trends.

2. Hedge your income bets by developing different income streams over the Internet. In uncertain times, there are more surveys being made as large companies try to identify new trends and public awareness. Maybe you should look into getting paid to participate in paid online surveys.

3. Take advantage of the coming surge in Internet shopping by becoming an Affiliate Marketer, helping to market and sell existing products for a share of the sale price. It costs very little to get started; maybe $0 to $100, mostly for educating yourself.

4. Develop your Internet and computer skills by becoming active on the Internet. There is a great deal of money to be made there. Uncertain economic outlooks are an excellent reason to get started, develop new skills, get some cash flow coming in that does not depend on your day job.

5. Sitting around worrying about things does absolutely no good. Be proactive. Do something positive. Prepare for the wave of change and ride it! Don't just sit there and wait to see if it's going to drown you! ;-)

To help you do something positive and get moving, here are two free resources to use as starting points. One is a free e-book on How to Make Money With Paid Online Surveys. The other is a free 12-part course in Affiliate Marketing on the Internet. Just follow the links below...

Don't let the waves of change wash you away! Get out in front of them and surfride them to a better future for yourself!